Apparatus for sealing expansion joints



March 17, 1942. L P K'OVANDA 2,276,542

APPARATUS FOR SEALlNG lEXPANSION JOINTS Filed Aug. l0, 1958 Patented Mar. 17, 1942 .APPARATUS FOR SEALINGXEXPANSON JOINTS 5. Claims.

kjoints betweenithe slabs or blocks of concrete .and

which areused in variousbuilding structures, bridges, vdams, tanks, walls, and particularlythe jointsv between the slabs Yused in` the construction of roadways, pavements, and the like.

'Itvisa knownfactthat all "structures expand when hot or moist and contract when coldand dry and unlessmeans Ain rthe form of:suitable contraction and 'expansion joints are .provided between the buildingfblocksorslabs `totake care 'of the stresses'set'upwithin lthe structures produced`by the slabs orblocks due vtov'expandin'g and contracting forces, the structure willerupture and thereby be rendered unfit for service'or destroyed.

VIn the case of `pavement and roadway slabs'of concrete, it iscustomary to provide `contraction and "expansion Vjoints at .regular intervals or spaces in order Ito protect theA slabs from' the destructive `forces of 'contraction and expansion.

`However, the introduction of` these contraction 'and expansion joints between the'pavement slabs,

changes in the moisture contentof the `subgrade and in the mass of the structure.

TAMostsoils vexpandonswell when wet and lcontract or shrink whendry'. and therefore changes in-the moisturecontent of soils cause considerable -volume rchanges and t also changes in nthe I bearing vpower ofthe soils.

These changes of moisturecontent inthe soils of the subgradecoupled withv :changes of moisture content ofthe" pavement slabi and'A which changes are 'the most v,marked or of :greatest extremes at and vadjacent the "joints, vcause Tthe pavement slabs 4`to'warp ordistort atthe joints and not only impair the #riding qualit-ies :of the pavement: slabs `but by heavytraic V'establishes conditions "that resultfinhe 'frapid destruction of the slabs.

In cold Weather moisture-enters the subgrade through the expansion joints .between .the pavement `slabs 1 and when said moisture freezes the resultingicelenses causethe pavement slabs to bei forced .,upwardy with the :result1 that saidsslabs are rapidlyadestroyed ,by theatraictraveling over the slabs.

VAnother destructive element vthat Y'frequently .occurs -in v:the contraction and :expansion joints between pavement slabs is the passage of foreign materials such as sand andsmall stones into the jointsffor under such: conditions when'the slabs expand, the foreign materials awithin :the joints being; incompressible cause Vthe.slabs toA spall .or to: shear or break ofi" :sections r of .the slabs.v along Vthe jointsfwhich conditiontendsto. rapidly bring 'about the ultimatepdestructionof .theislabs Thus@ in vorder .torr vovercome .the :destructiva :elements introduced iby :the contraction fand expansion joints, it is necessary`toprovide A-aiiller for these joints which is not only capableof sealing thejoints so asgto prevent the-passage of moisture therethrough -and `toresist v,the entrance of: foreign material intothejoints, but'which will not impedexorrin: any iway .counteractthe vnatural 'functioning of thejoint.

'My `invention :has tasy one -iof its principal' objects, the provision of a permanent, eifectivefand economical means 'forthe illing sand Vsealing of contraction .fand expansion joints eand particu- .larly the joints `of :pavement islabs. Thisrobject .is f vaccomplished .tbyiplacing Dr ainserting into rthe joint spaces Aor voids, 4premoul'ded llerstrips com-- posed .of durable `and :resilient material :or substances, or compound tof :mineral I:or -vegetable matter, :or a mixture ith'ereoffforfinstance, cork, rubber, impregnated fb'ers, 'vegetable E hulls, lasbestos, or'any kotherrsuitable,materials. YIn`p1-ac- .ingthe :ller 'strips in "the expansion joints, the strips .used iare fof Ssuch width or-*thi'ckness as fto permitrthamaximum contra'ctiontofrthe structure "or pavementz'slabs and .still becapabl'e of exerting .considerable .pressure Jon the faces fof thejoints llediby'th'estrips andathe ller strips-must alsov be capable ofzibecorning furthericompressed vWith- ;outunduly .extruding frornthe joint 'when ythe :slabsareir fully expanded.

",Thuszinfthe 'placing 'of the Adil-1er :strips ini-the j'oints,`. Irst compressi'the Istrips fto athickness or width which lwilliperrnittea'sy insertioninto preformed joints between the blocks of a building .structurexor "between-:pavement: Slabs.

With l the foregoing `and-'other objectsV in fview, my invention consistsin certainlnovel features 'of i construction -1and :arrangement of parts 'ithat .will abe ehereinafter :more f'fully described 4'and claimed and 1 illustrated in It'he accompanying drawingI in which: l

Fig. 1l is =a perspeotive .view fof Aan fexpansion joint sealing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing I have illustrated a practical apparatus for conveniently compressing premoulded ller strips and inserting the same into the void of the joint between the slabs or blocks of old work or preformed joints. This apparatus is formed in two parts, one disposed above the other, the lower part being used primarily for compressing the filler strip and the upper part cooperating with the lower part in inserting the compressed ller strip into the void of the preformed contraction and expansion joint. The lower part of the apparatus comprises an elongated substantially rectangular skeleton boxlike structure 22 provided with an internally arranged longitudinally disposed vertical partition 23 and arranged for sliding movement toward and away from the xed partition 23 is a sliding partition 24 that is carried by a frame 25.

A screw 23 passes through one of the side walls of member 22 and bears against frame 25 so as to move partition 24 against the xed partition 23.

The upper member 21 of the apparatus comprises an elongated inverted channel, the lower edges of the said flanges thereof being adapted to rest on top of the sides of base 22. To hold the two parts of the structure in assembled relation for operation, hooks 28 are pivoted to the upper portions of the side walls or flanges of member 21 and the lower ends of which hooks engage beneath lugs or ears 29 that project outwardly from the upper portions of the sides of base member 22.

Passing through the top of upper member 21 in longitudinal spaced relation are screws 30 carrying on their upper ends sprocket wheels 3|,

the latter being connected by a sprocket chain 32. One of the sprocket wheels 3l is provided with a handle 33 whereby it may be conveniently rotated.

The lower ends of the screws 30 rotate freely in bearings 34, each of which latter rests on a cross bar 35 and depending from the ends of said cross bar are vertically disposed lifting rods 36 that pass through openings 31 that are formed in the top and bottom plates of base member 22 and the lower ends of said rods are adapted to engage on top of the pavement slabs during the manipulation of the apparatus.

Projecting downwardly from the center of each cross bar, is a rod 38 that is adapted to engage the upper edge of the ller strip and force the same downwardly into the void of the joint between the pavement slabs. Guiding members preferably in the form of plates 38a, of thin sheet metal are positioned between the fixed partition y23 and movable partition 24 and serve to support the compressed filler as it is forced downward into the void of the expansion joint. These plates are preferably formed integral with the partitions 23 and 24 although they may be separately formed and rigidly secured to said partitions.

In the use of the apparatus just described, the lower member 22 is laid on its side so that the filler strip I may be conveniently inserted between the guide plates 38a. Positioned on top of the filler strip is a bearing bar or rail 39, the width of which is preferably slightly less than the required width of the ller strip when the same is compressed to the desired degree.

Screws 26 are now manipulated to move frame 25- inward toward the fixed partition 23 with the result that the filler strip is compressed to the desired degree between the plates 38a. Base member 22 is now turned to its normal position and manipulated so that the projecting lower portions of the plates 38a extend downward into the upper portion of the void of the joint to be lled.

The upper member 21 is now positioned on base member 22 and secured in such position by the engagement of the lower ends of the hooks 28 beneath the lugs or flanges 29. Handle 33 on one of the sprocket wheels 3| is now engaged to rotate its sprocket wheel and the resulting rotary motion is imparted by sprocket chain 32 to the other sprocket wheel so that both screws 3B are simultaneously rotated. As the bearings 34 carried by the lower ends of the screws 3D engage on top of cross bar 35, the rods 35 and 38 carried 'by said cross bar are moved downward so that said rods 38 force bearing bar or rail 39 downward with the result that the compressed iller strip I0 is extruded or forced between the guide plates 38a within the void of the joint between the pavement slabs.

This extruding of the ller strip I0 continues until the lower ends of the lifting rods 36 come in contact with and rest on top of the pavement slabs and as the turning of the screws 30 continues, the entire apparatus rises upon said screws with the load being carried by the lifting rods 36.

This action is continued until the upper edge of the ller strip is either level with or slightly below the upper surfaces of the pavement slabs and until the lower ends of the guide plates 38a are fully withdrawn from between the faces of the joint and the sides of the compressed ller strip.

The successful operation of the apparatus herein illustrated and described is due to the combined use of the guide members 38a, the lifting rods 36 and the extruding rods 38 which provides for a construction that is comparatively light in weight and with no anchoring or method of attaching the apparatus to the pavement slabs or structure in which the compressed filler strips are placed.

To insure a perfect bond between the filler strip and the faces of the pavement slabs and to provide an effective water seal, the side faces of the flller strips and the faces of the slabs to the sides of the joint may be coated with a bituminous or other suitable permanent sealing compound.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an apparatus for sealing contraction and expansion joints of concrete structures, which apparatus is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

While I have mentioned certain materials, constructions, arrangement of parts, as well as having specified certain force producing means, I do not limit myself to any specific materials, constructions, arrangement of parts or force producing means as the same may be varied in minor details and substitutions made, without departing from my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for compressing a ller strip of resilient material and inserting the compressed strip into an expansion and contraction joint of structures, roadways, pavements and the like, a frame having a longitudinal Vertical wall rigid with respect thereto and a laterally movable wall spaced therefrom and parallel therewith to form an adjustable slot for receiving and compressing a ller strip, said walls terminating in guide members adapted to enter a joint to support said filler strip in alignment therewith and to position said filler strip at the desired depth and position within a joint, means for adjusting the width of said adjustable slot, combined extruding and lifting means comprising forked members disposed in spaced relation in the frame, each member having outer lifting rods that are spaced laterally from an extrusion rod, said lifting rods being of greater length than the depth of said compression frame and said extrusion rod, said extruding and lifting means extending through the compression frame, and adjustable means on said frame for simultaneously forcing said forked members downwardly whereby the ller strip will be forced into the slot and to the desired depth and position with respect to the joint and between the guide members therein, whereupon the lifting rods contact with the surface of the underlying structure, after which the entire apparatus is lifted out of operative rposition with continued downward movement of the forked member relative to the compression frame so as to leave the compressed ller strip properly positioned within the joint.

2. In an apparatus for compressing a filler strip of resilient material and inserting the compressed ller strip into an expansion and contraction joint of structures, roadways, pavements and the like, as set forth in claim 1, with said guide members entered within the joint to a depth equal to or greater than the depth at which it is desired to position the compressed ller strip within the joint.

3. In an apparatus for compressing a ller strip of resilient material and inserting the compressed ller strip into an expansion and contraction joint of structures, roadways, pavements and the like, means for compressing a ller strip to a width not greater than the width of the joint, including a lower frame having a longitudinal vertical wall rigid with respect thereto and a laterally movable wall spaced therefrom and parallel therewith to form an adjustable slot for receiving and compressing a ller strip, said walls terminating in guide members adapted to enter a joint to support said filler strip in alignment therewith and to position said filler strip at the desired depth and position within a joint, combined extruding and lifting means comprising forked members spaced longitudinally in said lower frame, each forked member comprising outer lifting rods spaced laterally from an extrusion rod, said lifting rods being of greater length than the depth of the lower upon the lifting rods contact with the surfaceof the structure beneath the apparatus, after which the entire apparatus is lifted out of operative position by the continued downward movement of the lifting rods with respect to the lower frame, thereby leaving the compressed.

filler strip properly positioned Within the joint.

4. In an apparatus for compressing a filler strip of resilient material and inserting the compressed ller strip into an expansion and contraction joint of structures, roadways, pavements and the like, as set forth in claim 3, with said guide members entered into the joint to a depth equal to or greater than the depth at which it is desired to position the compressed filler strip within the joint. v

5. In an apparatus for inserting a compressed ller strip of resilient material into an expansion and contraction joint of structures, roadways, pavements and the like, al frame including a pair of longitudinal vertical .walls parallel to each other and spaced from each other to form a slot for holding and maintaining a filler strip compressed to a width not greater than the width of the joint, said walls terminating in guide members adapted to enter the joint to support said filler strip in alignment therewith and to position said filler strip at the desired depth and position within a joint, combined extruding and lifting means comprising forked members spaced longitudinally of said frame, said forked members having lifting rods spaced laterally from an extrusion rod and being greater in length than the depth of said compression frame and said extrusion rod, said lifting rods extending downwardly through said compression frame and adjustable means on said frame for simultaneously forcing the combined extruding and lifting means downwardly whereby a filler strip is forced into the slot to the desired depth and position with respect to the joint and between the guide members therein, whereupon the lifting rods contact with the surface of the structure beneath the apparatus so as to lift the latter out of operative position by continued downward movement of the lifting rods with respect to the compression frame, thereby leaving the comprests'ed filler strip properly positioned within the Join LOUIS P. KOVANDA. 

